Why should turtles be excluded from trawl nets?
A1: All sea turtles that occur in U.S. waters are listed as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Incidental capture of sea turtles in shrimp trawls has been a major factor in the decline of sea turtle populations. Shrimp trawling affects more sea turtles in the U.S. than any other human activity.
